1992 – Ryan became a speechwriter and a volunteer economic analyst with Empower America, an advocacy group formed by Jack Kemp, former education secretary Bill Bennett, the late diplomat Jeane Kirkpatrick and former Minnesota Rep. Vin Weber.

1998 – Elected to Congress from his Wisconsin hometown

After his 2011 delivery of the Republican response to the President’s State of the Union address and his presentation of the 2011 Republican budget proposal, “A Path to Prosperity”, no matter who the Republican presidential nominee was going to be and no matter whether he likes it or not, Paul Ryan was going to be on the short list of names to be considered for Vice President on the 2012 presidential ticket.

Ryan has already expressed no interest in the number two spot for Republicans in 2012 but if the call comes, the pressure is put on, and the political climate continues to echo the need for economic leadership, the times will dictate that Paul Ryan accept such an offer. For no man who truly loves their country can refuse to serve it when they are convinced that duty calls. And right now America calls out for the type of leadership and fiscal understanding that Paul Ryan brings to the table and possibly to the presidential ticket.

Paul Ryan is young, confident, humble and uses soft spoken words to convey hard hitting facts as he avoids demonizing the opposition. This along with his record of competence and passion for a budget that deals with the problems of today while addressing the needs of tomorrow, will make Paul Ryan the type of running mate who does not outshine the top of the ticket but provides incomparable support from the bottom of the ticket by being a seemingly non-partisan, down-to-earth, friendly, likeable family man, who can relate to voters and still make them feel confident about his ability to step into the presidency if the need arose. All that is in addition to his coming from an important swing state and his mastery of issues that will still be a top priority in November of 2012,——— the federal budget and national economy.

And Paul Ryan’s stock as a potential running mate has risen even further after the recent attempts to recall several Wisconsin Republicans, including the state’s Governor, Scott Walker. The left-wing, union inspired recall effort, failed miserably and stunned the nation with a vote that actually affirmed the type of economic austerity which Paul Ryan represents. That recall election has led many to believe that Wisconsin could come in to play for Republicans in the presidential election and if that is the case, adding Paul Ryan to the ticket could swing the state in the G.O.P.’s favor by as many as four percentage points.

The greatest obstacle to Ryan’s being asked to run for Vice President comes from the mileage that Democrats may be able to gain from painting Ryan as a heartless conservative whose budget plan attempts to destroy Americans by cutting everything from Social security benefits to the elderly to slashing assistance for the impoverished. To succumb to the potential of liberal propaganda would be a mistake though. If the left seeks to paint Ryan in such a way, the G.O.P could actually carve out a path to victory that addresses the divisive class warfare charade that liberals are trying to wage and combining it with the cold hard facts of mathematics, the mathematics of our ballooning deficit and weak economy.

But perhaps the greatest hurdle to Paul Ryan being selected as Vice President is the specter of losing his leadership in Congress as the House Budget Committee Chairman. It is one of the ten most powerful, and influential positions in America and a president Romney would have to ask himself, does he want to lose the responsible and competent leadership that Paul Ryan brings to that position? If it will get him elected President, Romney will probably be willing to have Ryan make that sacrifice.

Pros:

Ryan can attract Independent voters

Appeals to younger voters

Can help the G.O.P. win the case against tax and spend liberal policies

Might be able to swing Wisconsin to Republicans if the race tightens up

Ryan is an articulate, passionate campaigner

Is a relatively fresh face in national politics

Helps Romney with T.E.A. movement activists who are not particularly thrilled with Romney

Cons:

The left has already attacked Ryan as a heartless extremists and has even created parodies of him pushing a grandmother off a cliff

Lack of executive experience

Lacks extensive foreign affair expertise

Assessment:

Paul Ryan would be a relatively bold choice for Mitt Romney. Ryan does not initially bring the type of “safe” factor that would normally make Romney comfortable. However, Paul Ryan would bring to the ticket the type of solid convictions and leaderships required by republicans to corner the market on one of the number one issues of the day, our economic security. Paul’s Ryan’s credentials on the federal budget, the national debt, and entitlement reform are unparalleled and while his record will never convince liberals to suddenly realize that their attempts to tax and spend the nation in to prosperity is a dismal failure, he can help win over the critical independent voters who tend be more economically than socially conservative. And that is where this election may be won or lost.

That alone makes a Ryan a smart choice for Romney. But in addition to that is Ryan’s age, demeanor, working class background and Mid-West appeal. All of which compensate extraordinarily for that which Mitt Romney lacks. Which is why, I would have to say, that Paul Ryan is probably one of the 5 people Romney is most likely to pick.

[…] losing.With swing states like Ohio, Florida, and Wisconsin at stake, Rob Portman, Marco Rubio, or Paul Ryan could add the percentage or two to the election result in their respective states that is […]